Drink Package and Tips

[happyfamily3]

I will be purchasing the drink package for the legend June 18. Few questions;

Tip is included  per drink correct ?  

I have always tipped in cash and don’t like this idea but oh well.  I always scope out the bartenders for the best ones and tip more as cash. 

Is Grey Goose included in package? 

Can I get a non-alcoholic item. and drink at the same time?
Thank you !!

 

[weezal]

https://www.carnival.com/help?topicid=1106

[JoeMo]

The package is pricey and tips are included, but a small generic gift card (cash) will insure your well never runs dry.

[ibarrio]

7 hours ago, happyfamily3 said:

I will be purchasing the drink package for the legend June 18. Few questions;

Tip is included  per drink correct ?  

I have always tipped in cash and don’t like this idea but oh well.  I always scope out the bartenders for the best ones and tip more as cash. 

Is Grey Goose included in package? 

Can I get a non-alcoholic item. and drink at the same time?
Thank you !!

 

Yes, Grey Goose is included (all top shelf $20 and under). You can usually get a water and a drink at the same time. 

[Bob NC]

Grats are included in Cheers.

 

I usually leave an extra buck a drink.

 

I tip more in Alchemy Bar.  I get to know those bartenders, some of their drinks are pretty sweet and they will craft them for me so they don't taste so sweet.  They will even make up some new drinks for me. 

[stevethepirate]

Tips are added at the time you purchase cheers.

[happyfamily3]

thank you

[Elaine5715]

On 5/29/2023 at 6:13 AM, happyfamily3 said:

I will be purchasing the drink package for the legend June 18. Few questions;

Tip is included  per drink correct ?  

I have always tipped in cash and don’t like this idea but oh well.  I always scope out the bartenders for the best ones and tip more as cash. 

Is Grey Goose included in package? 

Can I get a non-alcoholic item. and drink at the same time?
Thank you !!

 

A very small tip is included.  You pay 18% of the cost of CHEERS so about $9 a day.  Divide that $9 up between all the beverages you order per day.  Ends up being maybe .60 to .75 cents per drink vs someone who is purchasing drinks separately which adds an additional 18% of the cost of each drink.   

[momof3cruisers]

To me I think it’s kind of funny that on this forum people act like you are committing a crime if you don’t tip extra when you have Cheers and yet Carnival advertises it as including the tips. 

[ray98]

7 hours ago, momof3cruisers said:

To me I think it’s kind of funny that on this forum people act like you are committing a crime if you don’t tip extra when you have Cheers and yet Carnival advertises it as including the tips. 

Never forget.....everyone is a big tipper on the internet.  

[Bob NC]

14 hours ago, momof3cruisers said:

To me I think it’s kind of funny that on this forum people act like you are committing a crime if you don’t tip extra when you have Cheers and yet Carnival advertises it as including the tips. 

I know what they advertise.

 

My addition of a small tip may have more to do with my distrust in general of whether or not bartenders actually receive all that is supposed to be coming to them.

[Benwar]

On 5/30/2023 at 9:20 PM, Elaine5715 said:

A very small tip is included.  You pay 18% of the cost of CHEERS so about $9 a day.  Divide that $9 up between all the beverages you order per day.  Ends up being maybe .60 to .75 cents per drink vs someone who is purchasing drinks separately which adds an additional 18% of the cost of each drink.   

What’s wrong with that?

[momof3cruisers]

16 hours ago, TreyB said:

I haven’t seen anyone react that way on this thread at all. You seem rather sensitive about the subject. I find that kind of funny. It’s a personal choice, people can make their own decision whether or not to tip above the pre purchased amount. I figure that if I drop an extra $50 bucks over the course of a seven day cruise to the bartenders it’s not going to break me, and it makes me feel good to do it. 

Not this thread, I agree. I also agree that tipping is a personal choice. Trust me, I paid for a lot of college by waiting tables, I believe in tipping and tipping well. Some people don’t and that’s okay too. 

[sparks1093]

12 hours ago, Bob NC said:

I know what they advertise.

 

My addition of a small tip may have more to do with my distrust in general of whether or not bartenders actually receive all that is supposed to be coming to them.

I'm sure if the bar staff were getting the short shaft that Carnival would very quickly have a large shortage of bartenders. Besides, if they can't be trusted to distribute the pooled tips correctly can they be trusted to distribute the extra tips correctly as well? Not trying to dissuade you from extra tipping, I usually add extra to the slip myself, just trying to ease your mind a bit. 

[Elaine5715]

9 hours ago, Benwar said:

What’s wrong with that?

That you knowingly or unknowingly tipping 60 cents to 75 cents a drink?  

[sparks1093]

26 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

That you knowingly or unknowingly tipping 60 cents to 75 cents a drink?  

That's between the company and the employee. The company has told me that's all I need to pay, so why should I worry about it? (I don't tip extra because I feel the employee is getting shorted.)

[Elaine5715]

4 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

That's between the company and the employee. The company has told me that's all I need to pay, so why should I worry about it? (I don't tip extra because I feel the employee is getting shorted.)

That wasn't the point.  People still think they are tipping 18% on the cost of each individual drink like when charged individually.  Guests are saving more on gratuities than drink costs via CHEERS. I was mortified when I realized it.   

[sparks1093]

39 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

That wasn't the point.  People still think they are tipping 18% on the cost of each individual drink like when charged individually.  Guests are saving more on gratuities than drink costs via CHEERS. I was mortified when I realized it.   

Again, that's not the passenger's concern. They bought a package and they paid the agreed amount for the gratuity. For a good number of people that ends the matter and there is no reason that it shouldn't. 

[Elaine5715]

15 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

Again, that's not the passenger's concern. They bought a package and they paid the agreed amount for the gratuity. For a good number of people that ends the matter and there is no reason that it shouldn't. 

It was my concern.  

[sparks1093]

13 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

It was my concern.  

And there is nothing wrong with that per se, but your posts imply that because the bartenders are somehow being shortchanged by people buying the Cheers package it is somehow the responsibility of the passenger to make up the shortfall and that isn't the case at all. 

[Elaine5715]

4 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

And there is nothing wrong with that per se, but your posts imply that because the bartenders are somehow being shortchanged by people buying the Cheers package it is somehow the responsibility of the passenger to make up the shortfall and that isn't the case at all. 

My point is, like me, I blithely thought, 18% CHEERS grat meant 18% per drink cost per server tip and many people do.  People then wonder why servers aren't running back to those with CHEERS (or the casino DOU) since the gratuity is included.  Considering how many people are insistent on knowing exactly who gets what when it comes to crew gratuities (except the automatic 18% sail and sign per drink amount), I do think newbies  should be aware how the CHEERS gratuities work.  

[sparks1093]

On 6/2/2023 at 9:29 AM, Elaine5715 said:

My point is, like me, I blithely thought, 18% CHEERS grat meant 18% per drink cost per server tip and many people do.  People then wonder why servers aren't running back to those with CHEERS (or the casino DOU) since the gratuity is included.  Considering how many people are insistent on knowing exactly who gets what when it comes to crew gratuities (except the automatic 18% sail and sign per drink amount), I do think newbies  should be aware how the CHEERS gratuities work.  

I've never experienced a difference in service level but it's always been clear to me that the 18% gratuity on the package is just that, the gratuity on the package. It all goes into the same pool. I suppose if the staff objected enough they could just charge for the package and then charge the what gratuity for each drink would be. My impression is that the status quo is working and no changes need to be made.

Edited June 3, 2023 by sparks1093

[Elaine5715]

3 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

I've never experienced a difference in service level but it's always been clear to me that the 18% gratuity on the package is just that, the gratuity on the package. It all goes into the same pool. I suppose if the staff objected enough they could just charge for the package and then charge the what gratuity for each drink would be. My impression is that the status quo is working and no changes need to be made.

Who asked about changes?

[sparks1093]

13 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

Who asked about changes?

That's usually an under running subtopic in most tipping threads. 

[cruisegus]

The crew is very happy with the gratuities from the drink package, they like management know most drink package purchasers are right around the break even point, yes a few go way over but it is very few. 

 

In addition if people were not purchasing the package in the belief that they were getting a little extra they would not even be purchasing a la carte the number of drink the package assumes, this would inevitably lead to a loss in pool revenue for the bar tenders.

 

Bar tenders love the guaranteed pool income from the drink packages rather that relying on A la Carte purchases